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Audrey Hepburn

Chris Rice countries of the world. She died from cancer at the age of easystarts 64 in . She was much mourned by the movie world, as well as by her many fans the world over. Fact File level 2 Born in 1929. Died in 1993. Real name: Edda van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston level 3 Best films: (1964), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), (1953), Charade (1963), Nun’s Story, The (1959), Sabrina (1954) level 4 Worst films: Green Mansions (1959), Paris—When It Sizzles (1964), Bloodline (1979) About Audrey Hepburn Off Screen: United Nations Children’s Fund Special level 5 Ambassador 1988–1993 Audrey Hepburn was born in Belgium in 1929 into an aristocratic family, but her father left the family when What people said about her: she was six years old. As a child during the war, Audrey “A slender, elfin and wistful beauty, alternately regal and level 6 experienced hardship and poverty. One of her brothers childlike.” (a film critic) was taken to a labor camp, and an uncle and cousin were “You looked around and suddenly there was this dazzling executed. She once said her family had to eat tulip bulbs. creature looking like a wild-eyed doe prancing in the She was determined to become a dancer. Then, through forest. Everybody on the set was in love within five a lucky chance she was spotted by a musical minutes.” (, film director) producer, and her career began as a famous and What she said about herself: successful actress, covering nearly forty years. “I never thought I’d land in pictures with a face like mine.” But at the end of the sixties, after her divorce from her actor-director husband, , she chose to leave “I was asked to act when I couldn’t act. I was asked to sing the film world and live mostly in Switzerland. Despite ‘’ when I couldn’t sing and dance with Fred being hailed as a great actress, Audrey stopped acting Astaire when I couldn’t dance—and do all kinds of things full-time, returning to movie-making only occasionally. I wasn’t prepared for. Then I tried like mad to cope with Perhaps, in 1959, when she fell from her horse while it.” pregnant in Mexico and lost the longed-for child for the second time, the true cost of a glamorous film star’s Summary life became clear. She had desperately wanted a happy Chapter 1: After her father left her mother, Audrey was family life—unlike her own childhood experiences—but unhappy at school in England. During the war she lived in her relationships with men seemed to be spoiled by the Holland, and life was hard for her. career she had chosen. Chapter 2: Audrey worked hard at being a ballet dancer, In her last years, she worked as a “goodwill ambassador” but was not able to go very far. She got work in films. Her for the United Nations’ UNICEF charity, traveling boyfriend James wanted to get married, but she wanted extensively in Africa and Latin America. She visited to wait until her career was established. Ethiopia during the drought to call attention to the plight Chapter 3: Her first famous film was , and it was a of starving children. great success. Then she played in Roman Holiday. In spite of her success, there was much sadness in her life. Chapter 4: Audrey met her future husband, Mel Ferrer. Her two marriages did not last and several pregnancies Chapter 5: Audrey won prizes for her acting, both in ended with her losing her baby. In later life, she turned films and in the theater. her back on the world of movies and acting and worked instead with deprived children in some of the poorer

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Audrey Hepburn

Chapter 6: Audrey married Mel Ferrer, but sadly lost , and actors such as (Roman easystarts her first baby. She acted with her husband, and with Fred Holiday), (Love in the Afternoon), Astaire, the famous dancer, then took a year’s break. (Charade) and (My Fair Lady). She won Chapter 7: Some of her films were successful, but others several Oscar nominations (though only one award) and numerous other awards for her acting. level 2 were not. Audrey gave birth to a baby boy, Sean. Chapter 8: Audrey took the risk of playing a “bad girl” The cost of fame: Audrey found that the pressure of a role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s which was a great success at film career was difficult to combine with a happy family level 3 the box office. life. She was often away from home, and perhaps this contributed to the failure of her marriages. The pressure Chapter 9: Audrey had ups and downs in her career, and of film-making also was part of the reason she lost two problems in her marriage. level 4 babies when she was pregnant. Chapter 10: Audrey played the lead in the musical My Fair Lady. This film was a great hit, though Audrey did not Discussion activities receive an Oscar for her role. level 5 Before reading Chapter 11: Her marriage went better for a while, 1 Discuss: Ask your students to look at the book cover but when she became pregnant and lost the baby, the and discuss it. Guide them with the following questions. strain on the relationship was too much, and she and her level 6 What do you think of the woman’s style? husband split up. What period do you think the photo comes from? The Chapter 12: Audrey married a second time and had thirties? The sixties? The nineties? What is there which is “modern” about the style of the another baby boy. She only made one movie in eleven woman? years. She then left her husband, because he was seen What is there which is more old-fashioned? with other women. Chapters 1–2 Chapter 13: Audrey spent her last years working for After reading charity, and died of cancer at the age of sixty four. 2 Discuss: Ask your students to look at the photo of Audrey and her mother, and to discuss it in pairs. Background and themes Guide them with the following questions and instructions. A different kind of star: Audiences and film directors How old is Audrey in this photograph? loved Audrey because she was slender, graceful and Does she look like her mother? elegant and she maintained this image of regal serenity Do you think she is beautiful? throughout her long career. She was quite unlike some What kind of personality does she seem to have— of the actresses of the time, who were seen as “sex happy? sad? cruel? Use a dictionary to find other adjectives which describe goddesses”. her. Audrey Hepburn had an elf-like quality, and a suggestion 3 Role play: Audrey at school of playfulness and high spirits. She was the daughter of Ask your students to work in pairs. One of them will play the role of Audrey, the other one that of a wealthy banker and a Dutch baroness, and Americans Audrey’s mother. Audrey is at school in England, but were attracted by the fact that she was born into the is not happy. She talks to her mother about what life European aristocracy. She was cosmopolitan and seemed is like at school. Her mother is sympathetic. like a real European princess. She was clearly an ideal 4 Write: Have students write a letter from Audrey choice for the reluctant princess she played in her first big when she is at school in England. Give your students these instructions: You are Audrey, and you are at film Roman Holiday. school in England. Write a letter to a friend in Belgium A fairy tale: Her career had fairy tale beginnings. Though talking about your life in England, and about your she trained as a dancer and worked as a model, she was dreams. You can invent stories for your letter. 5 Write: Give the students these instructions: You are “spotted”, first by a London producer, and then by the Audrey. You are in the South of France making the movie well-known French writer, . During her film career Baby. Write a postcard to your boyfriend she worked with some of the most famous names in the James Hanson. Talk about the film, the weather, and industry: directors such as , Billy Wilder and your meeting with Colette.

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Audrey Hepburn

6 Discuss and research: Ask your students to discuss 12 Role play: Ask your students to work in pairs. One the photo on page 5. Guide them with the following of them is Audrey, the other is a journalist. Ask them easystarts questions. to role play an interview based on the ten questions Do you know where exactly in the two people are? written in the previous exercise. Are they old friends or new friends? Chapters 9–11 level 2 With the help of a dictionary, describe the clothes they are wearing. After reading Ask your students to find some information about 13 Role play: Put your students into pairs. Give them Gregory Peck on the internet and explain it to the the following instructions. level 3 class. Work in pairs. Audrey and her friend are having dinner. Audrey is making the film Paris—When Chapters 3–4 It Sizzles. Student A: You are Audrey. Tell Givenchy about 7 Role play: Audrey and her boyfriend all your problems. Talk about these things: your dog, your level 4 Ask your students to work in pairs. One of them will husband, , your films. Student B: You are play the role of Audrey, the other of James Hanson. Givenchy. Be helpful. James tries to persuade Audrey to marry him and live a different life. Audrey explains why, after having Chapter 12 level 5 played in the movie Roman Holiday, she does not Before reading want to do this. He is very sad and she consoles him. 14 Discuss and predict: Ask your students to discuss what might happen next. Guide them with the Chapters 5–6 following questions. level 6 Before reading Will Audrey marry a second time? If she does, what kind 8 Discuss and predict: Ask your students to discuss of person will she marry? Will she find the same what will happen next in the story. Guide them with problems as in her first marriage? the following questions. Audrey wants to make more How will Audrey spend her time after she stops making films. Will she find it easy to find a good husband? What films? kind of man do you think she will marry? Will they be 15 Make the description right: This is a description of happy together? What kind of problems will they have in the photograph on page 20. Some parts of it are their marriage? wrong. Read the description to your students and ask After reading them to identify what is wrong, and to make it right. In the photograph you can see a man and a woman 9 Write: Ask your students to look at the photograph behind a tree. The man has a moustache, long but on page 9. Ask them to work in pairs and imagine no beard. Around his hand he is wearing something and write a dialogue between the two people in the unusual. He is dressed in very expensive clothes. The photograph. Then ask the students to act out the name of the actor is Gregory Peck. His right arm is dialogue for the whole class. Repeat the exercise for around Audrey. She is frowning and looking sad. In front the photo on page 10. of them is a woman with a hat on her head. Chapters 7–8 Chapter 13 Before reading After reading 10 Discuss and predict: Ask your students to discuss 16 Write: Ask your students to work in pairs. Give them what might happen next. Guide them with the the following instructions. You are journalists. You following questions. have heard that Audrey Hepburn has just died. Write Audrey played a princess in Roman Holiday. What parts a short article of around ten or twelve sentences for your do you think she will play next? newspaper. Tell your readers that she is dead, and say a What prizes can she win for her work? few more things about her. Choose one of the How will her life change when she has a baby? photographs in the book for your article. After reading After the exercise, ask some students to read their 11 Write: Ask your students to imagine they are article to the class. journalists. Guide them with the following instructions. You are going to interview Audrey Hepburn. She has just made the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Work in pairs and write questions about her childhood, about her movies, and about her personal life. After the exercise, ask the class to choose the ten most interesting questions.

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